Let Love In
by PhoenixOwnsTheNight
Summary: Chuck never comes to Blair's bedroom at the end of 2x08, and things are left undecided. Blair makes a bad decision out of anger to get back at him, but things go horribly wrong, forcing them to face their biggest challenge yet. Chuck/Blair
1. Decisions, Decisions

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**NOTE:**This story is slightly AU-ish, forgetting everything post ending of 2x08. This is a storyline I dreamed up happening if Chuck had never come to explain himself to Blair after the fight on the terrace in Brooklyn. Small warning, this story contains violence, language, ect. and if you're squeamish about domestic violence (which we all should be) stop reading now.

**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

_Why do I have to be the one to go first? I was the one who waited on that helipad for you. _

_That's ancient history._

_You were the one who started this._

_And you're the one who finished it._

Blair awoke with a start, shielding her eyes from the glaring sun. She had the same dream again, and it still wasn't changing. Maybe because that was how they left things. All she wanted was for Chuck to say it first. She deserved that much after all he had put her through. But no, it had to be her. It was always her. She dropped her head into one of the pillows and screamed her lungs out.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Dorota was standing at attention. "Miss Blair?!"

"Mm hm?" Blair answered, looking up, hair a tangled mess. "I'm fine. I won't be having any breakfast this morning, so don't bother."

Dorota only nodded and left the room. She had to try and avoid him by any means necessary today, and the only way to do that was to get to school extra early. If there was one thing Chuck Bass never did, it was arrive on time.

----

"Oh, it's you. Thought I might have almost run down someone important." Blair sneered, almost tripping over Vanessa on the way out of Starbuck's. What the hell was she doing in Manhattan, anyway? "Are you lost?" Blair asked, eyeing the flyers in her hand.

Vanessa turned away from Blair, hoping she'd go away quickly. "Morning to you too, Blair. No, I'm putting up some ads for my sister's show."

"This is her band?" Blair asked curiously, snatching one of the yellow flyer's. They were playing in Brooklyn tonight. THIS WAS PERFECT! A seedy club in Brooklyn, full of college guys (fresh meat), and God knows what else? Maybe it was a bit on the desperate side, but how jealous would this make Chuck? It was just too easy.

"Yep. They're pretty good actually. Looking to get more exposure though, hence the taping in Manhattan." Vanessa explained.

Blair followed Vanessa farther down the sidewalk until they were two blocks over. "Hey...!" Blair called happily, a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Okay, seriously, what the hell? Less than a week ago we were ready to tear each other's guts out with tridents."

"Yeah, I don't know what a trident is exactly, but... Look, I don't like you. I'll admit that. And I know you don't like me. But I'd like to try and bury the hatchet. You know, I'm on this trying to better myself kick." Blair lied, still with the pathetic smile on her face. This was getting ridiculous, but something had to be done. Her new mission was to drive Bass utterly insane, and yes, she chose to accept it at full force.

"Still not following. Getting bored too, as a matter-of-fact." Vanessa rolled her eyes, glancing down at her watch. Of course, she had nowhere to be. She was off work for the day. But any extended amount of time around Blair Waldorf felt like work. "You don't want to....?" She trailed off.

"I'd love to! Thank you for the invitation." Blair smiled, folding the flyer neatly into her purse.

"Wait, you... actually want to come?" Vanessa asked, slightly horrified. Was this some kind of an alternate universe?

"...with you, yes. You did just invite me, didn't you?" Blair asked, trying to act disappointed.

Vanessa fidgeted a bit and finally gave in. She may as well be the bigger person in this awful situation. "I mean, come if you want. It's only five bucks a head, so it's not like you can't afford it." This next part was going to be especially hard. Why she was attempting to be nice to Blair was beyond her. "The club is actually kind of hard to find if you don't know Brooklyn well, so if you want I can meet you at your place. We can just split the cab fare."

Blair made a face. There was no way in hell she was showing up in a cab. "Tell you what, why don't you meet me at my place tonight and we'll just take the town car? I have a driver."

"Of course you do." Vanessa retorted, smiling back at her. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll be there. Seven o'clock, okay?"

"Perfect."

----

**B: R u in Spanish?  
S: Ya. U?  
B: Free period.  
S: Lucky bitch.  
B: Want to come w/ tonite? Going to a club in Brooklyn.  
S: No way! WTFH? By urself?  
B: Vanessa.  
S: Um... y?  
B: g2g. ttyl.**

----

"Sorry I couldn't talk earlier. The girls cornered me. Something about organizing some mixer next month for a dog charity." Blair said, with an eye roll, walking alongside Serena in the quad.

"Yeah, I was completely confused by your message. You said you were going to some club in Brooklyn with Vanessa, of all people? I thought you guys had that big thing..." Serena asked.

Blair shook her head, sitting down on the concrete steps. "This has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with _him_."

"I should have known this was about Chuck. It always is with you two these days." Serena joked, digging through her bag for an energy bar.

"It is not!" Blair snapped, glaring at her friend.

Serena only looked back in shock.

"It's not _just_ about him. Maybe I just want a night out doing something semi-not normal. I'd have a lot more fun if you'd come, though."

"I've got Lily duty tonight. Bart's on another trip. She's lonely and very clingy. Bad combination." Serena explained. "Maybe I could ask Dan to go with you and Vanessa? I just... I don't know. I know you guys don't exactly get along and if we're being honest, it's not really your scene."

"It's one night, S. What's the big deal? And I'll probably ditch the bitch when we get there. We're just going together. I don't want to show up by myself, anyway, even if it is with her." Blair shuddered.

"I don't think it's a good idea, B. You won't know anyone. Why don't you just wait until I can come with?" Serena asked, worried.

Blair gave her a strange look. "Serena, I think I can handle myself for one night at some lesbian band fundraising benefit... whatever it is." Serena still didn't look convinced. Blair pulled her hair back, rolling her eyes, realizing she really was worried. "Oh God, okay, I'll text you when I get home. Happy?"

----

**Next Chapter:** Blair and Vanessa leave for the club. Chuck has a strange reaction when Serena tells him of Blair's plans for the evening.


	2. The Green Eyed Monster

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**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

Blair walked down the stairs in her complete ensemble, running a brush through her hair. Now all she had to do was find the hair gel. Her mother had used it last. Unfortunately, she was in Switzerland meeting with potential buyers for the month, and wasn't around to yell at. She looked herself over in the hallway mirror, smiling. The gold sequined halter top, yes GOLD, and black skirt went perfectly with the shoes she had picked out.

Maybe it was a bit slutty for her taste, but it was worth it. Besides, she'd bought the outfit in Paris two Summer's ago and never even wore it out once. Apparently, French girls were more adventurous when it came to fashion. Go figure.

"Good thing I didn't end up giving this to Serena." Blair smiled.

Her head turned towards the elevator as it opened and out walked Vanessa. Blair couldn't hide her distaste. Her outfit was atrocious.

"Are we going to your place first so you can change?" Blair asked, giving her another once over.

Vanessa looked down at herself. It had actually taken her two hours just to decide on a pair of jeans. Not that she owned that many. "Um, no. This is what I'm wearing. Why?"

"I can't be seen with someone wearing those shoes. Come on. You can borrow some of mine." Blair said, starting up the staircase. "What are you, a seven and a half?"

"Seven." Vanessa answered, following her. What had she gotten herself into? Next they would be exchanging hair tips. Well, maybe not. As Vanessa watched Blair take out several pairs of shoes and hold them up to her outfit, she realized that her hair always seemed to look like it had been done by a stylist. Her own hair on the other hand... another story.

"These are perfect. Here." Blair shoved them into her arms and disappeared into the bathroom.

Vanessa put on the shoes and looked at herself in the mirror. They fit nicely and she actually liked them quite a bit. "Thanks. These are great."

When they were in the limo, Blair checked her phone. If Serena was doing what she thought, her plan had officially been put into motion. Poor Chuck. He would never learn.

----

"What's wrong with you anyway?" Serena asked her stepbrother, applying the last of her eyeliner.

Chuck shrugged, lifting himself onto the bathroom counter. He had to admit it was nice having Serena around now that their parents were married. Always someone to annoy when he was bored. "Nothing. I'm just not going out tonight."

"Or drinking. I haven't noticed any of the Scotch go missing since Bart decided to jet off on Monday."

"I do it when you're not watching. Thanks for the concern, though." Chuck smirked. He hated how perceptive she was.

When Serena didn't respond, Chuck noticed her worriedly looking down at her phone. "You seem troubled. What's wrong?" His forehead creased, and he wondered why he had even asked. "You torture me, sister dearest. Don't tell me this is over Humphrey? He's much too boring to mope over, or while we're on the subject, even think about." Dan had really become a pain in his ass. It was on his list of things to deal with.

"Nothing to do with Dan. You know we're not together anymore. And I'm not the one who's moping" Serena snapped, indicating his silk robe, or as she liked to call emo-wear. "Which is precisely why I'm not telling you a thing."

Chuck perked up, head snapping in Serena's direction. "Since we're talking about Dan, I'm guessing your mood has to do with Waldorf?"

Serena let out an exasperated sigh. No one should ever tell her anything, especially Blair. "I never said anything about Dan _or_ Blair. What drugs are you on this week? You seem more attentive than usual."

"But you implied it."

Serena stopped and glanced from Chuck to the counter top. She'd been caught red handed. It was written all over her face. "I'm kind of worried about her. She's going to this club tonight in Brooklyn with Vanessa. I wish I'd asked Dan to go with them. I don't know why I let her talk me out of it. She's really vulnerable right now." Her gaze fixed on Chuck's fiery, curious eyes. "But I don't have to tell you that."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Chuck responded, nonchalantly.

Serena shook her head, putting her hair into a messy bun. "I don't know why you two can't just..."

There was a silence for several moments. "What?" Chuck asked her.

"Say whatever it is that you need to say to each other." Serena turned to him, hoping that he'd possibly wake the hell up. She couldn't be the go-between for these two forever. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you belong with Blair."

Chuck was speechless. No one had ever said that to him before. He'd said it to himself, of course.

"That sounded better in my head."

"How do you know?"

Serena laughed, rolling her eyes. "Are you kidding me? Chuck, come on. Whenever so much as her name is mentioned you get that look. You _never_ have that look."

Chuck looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact. Again with the perceptiveness. It was unnerving. "I really don't know what you're talking about."

She forcefully turned his chin so he could see his reflection in the mirror. "That's the look."

Chuck ripped his face out of her grasp, sighing deeply. "I don't need this from you, or anyone else, right now."

"Just trying to give you some encouragement."

"I'm not the one who needs it. I've made my feelings known. Several times, actually." Chuck countered.

"So has she. She just isn't saying what you want to hear, and that makes you crazy."

Chuck could only glare back at her. Obviously Blair had let her in on the events of the past few weeks. The fact that she was siding with her wasn't surprising in the least.

Serena put the remaining makeup in her purse. "Don't worry, I only know the small details. Just think about it, okay?" She patted him on the shoulder and walked past him into the fourier.

Chuck let out a long, frustrated grunt after he heard the elevator doors close outside. He moved to the couch and plopped down, trying to find something decent on television. "Boring, boring, boring. When will these idiots ever learn that listening to teenagers whine about their problems _is not_ entertainment?!" Chuck exclaimed, tossing the remote onto a chair. He could already feel his leg begin to fidget, and his face getting hot.

He should go out. That would take his mind off of things. Forget everything that Serena said. Do what he normally did. Drown his sorrows with meaningless sex and alcohol. Be your normal self and go out, you idiot. You're Chuck Bass, remember? You could have anyone. But you don't want anyone. You only want her. Damn it. What was happening to him?

He couldn't help but to laugh out loud at himself, something he could only do when he was sure the apartment was empty. This was a feeling he didn't experience often. Maybe for Nate or even Eric sometimes, but never for anyone else. He was worried about her... about Blair. And not just a little bit, but so much that his leg wouldn't stop moving up and down.

Damn you, Serena.

----

**Next Chapter:** Blair meets someone interesting at the club.


	3. How Did I Get Here?

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**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

Blair glanced around cautiously, stepping out of the limo. Her eardrums felt like they would explode at any moment after that God awful concert. If you could even call it that. Emo, girl punk rock was definitely not her kind of music. Now, it was almost midnight, and Vanessa had dragged her to some building in the middle of nowhere for the after party.

"Are you coming or not?" Vanessa called, half way to the door.

"I thought you said we were going to an after party?" Blair asked, annoyed.

Vanessa rolled her eyes, indicating the tall building before them. "This is the after party and it's in this building. We're here. Next step is walking inside."

"You didn't tell me it was in...." Blair started, just as a car full of laughing guys threw a beer bottle out the window. It shattered only a few feet from her. She jumped wildly, ending up in the middle of the street. "...a dormitory!" She shouted, brushing off her outfit.

Vanessa tried to keep from laughing. "Are, um, you okay?" She asked, trying to sound concerned. Being hit with a bottle might do her some good.

"No! You want to know why I'm not okay? Because you've brought me to a frat house! _That's _why!" Blair shrieked, hand on her forehead. She could kill Vanessa for bringing her there. She was all set to tell her driver to just take her home, when she realized this was just the place she wanted to be. There had to be tons of guys inside, all college aged. They were basically hers for the picking.

"Look, I didn't it was at a dormitory, okay? Last time it was in this warehouse in Chinatown that was once used as a meat market. It changes every time. Why don't you just go home? I'll catch a cab later." Vanessa said, turning towards the limo.

"No! It's not like we're in a third world country. This caught me by surprise is all. I'm okay with it now. Let's go inside." Blair said, walking past her into the building.

----

"Uh huh." Blair commented with a half smile, adjusting her necklace. She had been listening to this guy Adam rant and rave about the classes he would be taking in the Fall. She knew his entire schedule and morning routine. Could he be anymore pathetic?

She glanced behind Adam's shoulder when someone caught her eye. Six foot one, blond hair, blue eyes, and staring right at her. Perfect. "Hey, who's your friend?" The guy asked.

"Blair, my roommate, Cory. Cory, Blair." Adam said, moving one seat down.

Cory extended his hand, taking a seat. "Nice to meet you, Blair."

Adam quickly took the hint and slinked off elsewhere. Blair smiled at him, pretending to blush. He was actually quite attractive, though. "Do you go to school here too?"

"Guilty as charged. There's no way you go here. I would have noticed you by now."

Blair leaned closer to him, finishing the last of her drink. "Well, I guess you weren't looking closely enough, were you?" She asked.

"Guess not. Want another one of those?" Cory smiled.

"Yes, please." Blair answered. When he turned around, she quickly snapped a photo of him and sent it to Chuck, with a message attached for Serena. Oops. Honest mistake. It could happen to anyone.

Three drinks later, though it felt like six or seven, they were on the dance floor, and she was letting him lead. She didn't even protest when his hand made its way subtly down her back and onto her ass. Then, as if in a haze, she agreed to see his room on the fifth floor and was being lead off of the elevator, past several onlookers in the crowded hallway.

"This is nice. Did you decorate it yourself?" Blair asked as the door closed behind them. She turned, watching as Cory made his way over to the night stand. "I think I should find Vanessa."

"Who?" Cory asked, taking something out of a drawer and throwing it onto the bed.

"The girl I came with. She's probably wondering where I am." Blair answered, bumping right into one of the walls. She laughed, feeling Cory's body against her own, steadying her. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. The room's spinning for some reason."

She felt him lead her to bed and sit down beside her. "Try and relax. I think you've had a little too much to drink." Then he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "What are you doing?"

"Kissing you." Cory responded, doing it again.

Blair turned away from him, feeling nauseous all of a sudden. "I really need to find Vanessa."

"Tell you what? I'll go find her and bring her up here to get you. You can rest here while I'm gone. Sound good?" Cory asked, stroking her hair.

Blair nodded and slowly lied back on one of the pillows, closing her eyes. She waited to hear the door close behind him, but the sound never came. Her eyes opened again and he was shirtless, hovering over her, in the process of unzipping his pants. "Wait, I thought you were going to..." Blair started.

He laughed softly, running his hands down her sides. "You didn't really want me to go and get your friend. You followed me up here."

"I..." Blair protested softly, but his lips were crushed against hers before she was able to finish. His tongue quickly made it's way down her throat, preventing her from breathing normally. She wanted to move her legs, use her arms to push him off of her, even bite down on his bottom lip to make it stop, but her immobile body made all of that impossible. What was happening? _Oh God. He slipped me something._ She thought, frantically.

Her vision blurred as Cory's lips moved from her lips to her collarbone, and his hand started undoing the back of her shirt. After a few moments, she somehow worked up the strength to use her head and shoulder to sit up. "I have to go, I'm sorry. I can't..."

But he quickly pushed her back down, pinning her arms above her head. "Just lay back and enjoy yourself. I'll drive you home later, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not enjoying this." Blair responded hoarsely, struggling against his strong hold. The grip on her wrists only became tighter. "Get off, you're hurting me..."

He didn't respond. The unreturned kisses got more aggressive and she heard the sound of fabric ripping. It took a moment to register, until she noticed her underwear on the floor next to the bed. Her eyes remained focused on that spot. The last thing she wanted to do was look at him.

----

**Next Chapter:** Vanessa is put in a tough position when Blair refuses to report her attack to the police.


	4. I'll Protect You

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**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

Twenty minutes had passed and nothing was happening. The stillness in the small living room was deafening. Vanessa was left with her thoughts, which weren't any better. Bottom line. She never should have left her alone. Period. This was _all_ her fault.

Blair hadn't moved an inch since they'd arrived at her apartment in Brooklyn. Her intention was to check her over for any injuries, but she just sauntered to the couch, wrapped a nearby blanket around her small body, and sat there staring ahead at nothing. Every sound outside, whether it be a police siren, or a car alarm, or a dog barking, they were all a potential threat. She reacted to each one of them with a snap of her neck towards the picture window overlooking the street. After minutes of that, Vanessa tried to approach her, but Blair wasn't having any of it. She didn't say anything, but her eyes let Vanessa know that she didn't want her near her. Or anyone for that matter.

_The jacket_. Vanessa let out a deep sigh, leaning on the counter top, without taking her eyes off of Blair. Now she wished she would have gone back upstairs for it. Maybe then she would of found some clue as to who was responsible for this. She had to have been in one of the dorm rooms. Glancing over at the cordless phone, Vanessa picked it up slowly and moved even more slowly towards Blair, keeping a safe distance.

"Blair..." Vanessa started, unsteadily. "I know you don't want to talk, and that's fine, but we need to call the police and tell them what happened to you." There was no response. She just kept staring at the same spot on the wall. Vanessa turned the phone on and dialed nine. "No." Finally, a sign of life. Vanessa stared back at her, waiting.

Tears welled up in Blair's eyes, and for some reason, Vanessa had missed the part where they had fallen. The smeared mascara and eyeliner gave it away. She still wasn't looking at her and that scared Vanessa a great deal. "No police. I just need to..." And with that, she hugged her legs to her chest and started to rock slowly back and forth. She would shake her head from side to side every once and awhile too.

There was no way Vanessa was taking another choice out of Blair's hands. She wasn't about to do something else to her that she didn't choose. Another solution. She had to find one and fast. If she kept going on like this, she'd shut down completely. Where had she read that? An article in some women's magazine maybe. Dan would know what to do. He always did in any situation, but Blair barely knew him. Serena and Rufus were also valid options. Neither of them would make her go to the police if she didn't want to. Dan on the other hand... that's another story entirely.

Then there was a slight whimper. What did she say? Vanessa listened more carefully and heard her whisper it a second time, rocking more steadily now. "Chuck." And then she knew exactly what to do.

----

Less than an hour later, Chuck was on Vanessa's doorstep, water from outside dripping from his stylish rain jacket. Before she could ask him to wipe his feet or remove the jacket before entering, he was already standing at attention a few feet from the couch, looking down at the wounded girl before him. His body language suggested a lot of things. Concern, confusion, panic, curiosity... "Blair?" He said softly, observing her rocking body. Still no answer or even recognition of his presence. She was somewhere else.

Vanessa watched as Chuck strode quickly across the room to her side in the kitchen. "Tell me everything. Start from the beginning and if you leave anything out, I'll know." He assured her.

Now came the hard part. She just hoped her memory of the night's events was accurate enough. Chuck seemed, in this state, much more intimidating than any cop. "Wednesday afternoon I was putting up flyer's on the street for my sister's show downtown. Blair asked if she could tag along, I said yes. I went to her place at around eight and she was dressed and ready. We saw the show and she was talking to this group of guys that had been hitting on her all night. One of them said something about a party at this community college a few miles away." Vanessa felt her breath catch in her throat, realizing even more that she was to blame. She could have stopped her from going. It would have been so easy.

"She really wanted to go, even when she found out it was in a frat house. I saw a couple of my friends from earlier and sort of..." Vanessa stopped, not wanted to continue. God, she hated herself.

Chuck ran a frustrated hand through his damp hair. He knew the answer but he was still going to ask. "Sort of what?"

"Left her alone. We went to a quieter corner to talk. She was fine. She _seemed_ fine. I saw her talking to this guy at the bar and when I looked back a few minutes later, she was just gone. I thought that had done the same thing we did. Go to a quieter place to talk. Get to know each other. I don't know." Vanessa explained. "I didn't know what..."

"And then?" Chuck demanded. His eyes were fierce, nostrils flaring. He looked like he was going to kill someone. Guess it was a side he didn't show much.

"Then about half an hour later, I guess, I was looking around the house for her, and all of a sudden, she came running through the crowd. I noticed right away that she didn't have her jacket and thought that was weird. She had said before in the limo that it was the most important part of her outfit. I followed her outside and she was just standing against the wall, not saying anything. I asked her where she had been and what had happened, but all she did was ask me to get her out of there." Vanessa tried to remember what came next, and then she remembered. The reason she wanted so badly to check Blair over when they first got in the apartment. "There were marks on her wrists. It looked red, like blood, but I don't know if it was... is."

Vanessa looked over his shoulder at Blair, who hadn't moved from her normal position. "I tried to get her to let me look her over, but she won't let me anywhere near her. Chuck, I know she was raped. That's the only explanation for her behavior. The only thing she's said since we got back here is no police your name. That's why I called you."

Chuck turned and took a few steps towards the couch, back to Vanessa. "What are we going to do?" Vanessa asked him.

"_We_ aren't doing anything. I'm getting her out of here and _you_ will keep your mouth shut, like this night never took place." Chuck turned to her briefly, eyes connecting. "I'll find out what happened and take care of it. As of this moment you're not involved. Is that understood?"

All Vanessa could do was nod. This wouldn't end well for Blair if she kept the attack a secret from everyone but she and Chuck. There was no way.

"Blair?" Chuck said softly, only a foot away from the couch now. He crouched down on one knee, so that they were at eye level. He had never felt so scared for someone in his life. His hand brushed her shoulder and she flinched, instinctively blocking the space between them with one of her arms. Chuck jerked back, both hands in a surrendered position. "Blair, it's me. I'm not going to hurt you. You know that. No one here is going to hurt you." At this point his emotions were taking over. He had no clue what he was saying or why.

Her tear stained face meekly looked up at his own, as if it had taken all the strength she could muster just to make her neck turn. He leaned in and her head fell to his chest, arms holding onto his waist for dear life. Chuck held onto her as well, but not too hard. He had no clue what kind of physical trauma she had gone through, and truthfully, didn't think he could handle knowing. But he held onto her gently all the same. "You're okay. You're safe now. It's alright. Just breathe." He stroked her hair for a few moments, trying to think of what to do next. Though he was still very much in protective mode, he needed to take the necessary precautions. "Blair, what did he do to you? Can you tell me?"

"He... he raped me." She sobbed uncontrollably, holding onto him harder. "I'm so stupid, God, I'm so stupid!"

Chuck shook his head adamantly. "Shh, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. Okay?" Blair didn't answer him and just continued to cry in his arms. He let go of her briefly and looked into her eyes, so that he had her full attention. But then he remembered who he was talking to. Despite this not being the Blair he knew and yes, _loved_, there was no way to convince her of something that was already in her head.

She believed this was her fault.

----

Chuck did everything possible to make Blair believe, and himself, that she was going to be safe in her house. As dumb as that sounded and even though there was no way in hell he was leaving her, it gave him peace of mind. He found the biggest, sharpest knife possible in the kitchen and made his way through each room, closet, and bathroom in the house. No one was there.

"Are you expecting Eleanor back soon?" Chuck asked her, as he slipped back into her dark bedroom. She hadn't turned on the light yet.

He saw her head shake in the pale light coming through the window. "She's out of town for the rest of the month." Suddenly, her breathing became erratic and she stood up. Chuck did the same. "Did you hear that?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"I just checked the whole house. There's no one here. The staff's gone home for the evening." Chuck steadied her back onto the bed in a sitting position. "There's no one here, Blair. I promise. I won't let anything happen to you."

She turned away from him and rubbed both arms up and down. Her expression changed to one of pain. Chuck had already suggested multiple times on the way over that they call the police, or just show up at the station, and file a report on the bastard who had done this to her. But she said the same thing every time. "I can't, Chuck. No police. Please. No one can know." That made him angry. Not at her but at him. Whoever _he_ was.

"Are you in any pain?" Chuck asked, scooting closer to her. After she didn't respond, Chuck mechanically removed his jacket and Vanessa's off of her body. His expression changed drastically at the sight before him. He wasn't just concerned or upset now, he was fucking angry. Not only were their bruises, which he expected, but cuts and red marks as well.

Her arms and wrists were almost purple. Her back had scratch marks all the way to the back of her neck. Hickeys were all over her collarbone. He clicked on a small light on the bedside table to get an even better look. Big mistake. The injuries stood out more, including her cheekbone that was almost black, looking like she had been hit with a closed fist. "You need to see a doctor, Blair."

"No, please, Chuck... No. They'll call my mother and then everyone will know. Please." She pleaded with him, wrapping him into a hug.

He rubbed her back reassuringly. "He works for my father. He handles private matters like this. There's a clause in his contract that binds him from revealing any information." He took her hands in his. "You don't have to call the police or go to the hospital if you don't want to. We can do all of this quietly. I'll protect you, Blair. No matter what it takes. Trust me."

----


	5. He Said It First

----

_italics_=flashbacks

----

Chuck laid down on the floor with a pillow, staring up at the ceiling. His mind was racing, trying to figure out what to do to help Blair. He could convince her to go to the police eventually. That was definitely a priority. His absence at home wasn't a problem, so he could stay with her. The phone call to Lily only lasted two minutes. He made up a story about staying with Nate because of problems at home. She believed him and even said he was a good friend to him. He felt guilty after hanging up, which rarely happened. Though he would never admit it, he actually really liked Lily.

His attention switched to the bed when he heard the sheets rustling. It had been three hours and Blair still couldn't sleep. When he sat up to check on her, she was sitting up, sheets wrapped around her body. "Are you alright?" Chuck asked.

She slowly shook her head as the tears started falling again. He grabbed a tissue from the bed side table and handed it to her, something he'd done at least ten times since they'd got there. "I keep seeing his face." Blair whispered hoarsely. "Every time I close my eyes, I feel him... on top of me. Breathing on my neck. Pinning my wrists down on the bed." She ran her hands through her hair, and pulled her knees to her chest. "I just want to make it stop. How do I make it stop?"

Chuck felt his jaw clench. He hated that he didn't have an answer for her. All he could do was hold her and promise that everything was going to be okay. But the only thing on his mind was imagining up ways of making this guy suffer when he got his hands on him.

--

Blair finally fell asleep after three nightmares at around six. One of them was so bad, that she was actually convinced that someone had come into the room and left, and that they were hiding somewhere in the house. Chuck knew this wasn't true, because he hadn't slept one solid minute, and would have heard someone climbing the stairs. The foot of the bed wasn't exactly the most comfortable place, but he could hear everything going on outside the door. Despite knowing all of that, he gave Blair's leg a reassuring touch, and humored her.

"Wait! Take this." Blair demanded, handing him a fire poker from under the bed. Chuck tried his best not to laugh. She must have swiped it after they came in. He was fully convinced now that she would never stop surprising him. "I'll be back." He promised, taking it from her. "I'll leave the door open."

The staff showed up the next morning as usual, and to Chuck's displeasure, he couldn't convince them to leave. When Dorota got suspicious and demanded to see Blair for herself, Chuck stood in front of the closed door and lied through his teeth. "We were out with Serena and Nathaniel last night and she just came down with something. I don't think it's safe to go in there. I'm taking care of her."

Dorota eyed him, not convinced. "You take care of Miss Blair? I don't think so. Move aside." She tried to maneuver around him, and he tried to stall by moving the same way. He gave her one of his charming smiles, but it wasn't working. That was something new.

"I'm fine, really. Chuck was just..." Blair said, now standing in the hallway with them. She had on a large robe and her hair was hanging over the entire left side of her face. "...he didn't want to leave me in that state. I wouldn't let him take me to a hospital. It was probably just something I ate."

Dorota looked from Blair back to Chuck, knowing something else was going on. But somehow Blair convinced her that it wasn't necessary for her to come back until Friday, when Eleanor would be returning. They stayed in the bedroom for the rest of the day, until the doctor called Chuck in mid-afternoon. He suggested that Blair be examined by a nurse who worked for him at a clinic downtown. Chuck quickly agreed, but came face-to-face with a fuming Blair after he hung up.

"What the hell was that, Bass? You promised me!" She shouted, climbing off of the bed. "You have to sign in at a clinic. Even if I give a fake name, someone could see me. Know me. That can't happen. You... you can't make me go. I don't want to go."

Chuck sighed, putting both hands on her shoulders. She fell into his arms again, something that seemed almost natural to him now, after last night. "You know how this works. There are things they need to rule out. I'll be there. I'm not going anywhere."

--

Chuck kept his promised and stayed with her up until the nurse came in the room to do the examination. Waiting outside by himself amongst the empty chairs and egg white walls was nerve-wracking enough. The doctor informed him that the test results would be back in a few days. They were both quiet when they got back to Blair's. He couldn't think of anything to say, and could only imagine how hard it was for her to go through that.

He avoided school as much as possible over the next few days, collecting all of Blair's missed assignments before cutting out early, and heading to her place. The staff still weren't showing up, even Dorota. At least the message had gotten through. There was very little conversation between the two of them. Every time he tried to talk to her about anything, she'd provide incoherent mumbles, one word responses, or would avoid the subject completely.

The nightmare's were getting worse. On the third night, he almost had a heart attack when she woke up screaming. It took him five minutes to convince her who he was, and another ten to calm her down.

By the end of the week, things had settled down, and according to the doctor, it turned out she didn't have any STD's or other complications. The days since had become very routine, almost like a marriage. Chuck would come through the elevator doors in the afternoon and she would be laying on the couch downstairs, watching something dumb on television. He guessed the bedroom was starting to close in on her.

"Are you hungry?" She would ask quietly, walking into the kitchen. "I can make you something."

He didn't answer and just let her. At least she was moving around, doing something. He was positive she hadn't left the house since that night. It was going on six days now. She had cleaned the whole kitchen, living room, and her bedroom. In all the years he'd known her, she had never cleaned anything. Something had to be done. He shifted uncomfortably in his stool. "I've been dodging Serena. She's really worried about you."

"Me? You're the one who never goes home." Blair answered, absently making a turkey sandwich. She looked up at him, worried. "You didn't tell her anything, did you?"

"I said I wouldn't say anything and I meant it. That's not even the point." Chuck said, exasperated. Heat rose to his face and the anger was coming back at full force. He had to pace around the kitchen, hands on his head, just to try and calm himself. "You can't keep doing this, especially with Eleanor coming back at the end of the week. She's not a dense woman. She'll know somethings happened to you."

"You've obviously never met my Mother." Blair shrugged, putting the sandwich on a plate for him. "She'll think I've been sick. Big deal."

Chuck stared back at her with disbelief. Why was she acting so calm, like nothing had happened to her? She stared back at him with a steely expression, showing little emotion. It was unnerving. "You still haven't slept, you're not eating, you refuse to talk to me about..."

"That's because nothing happened. The subject is closed." Blair watched Chuck's eyes carefully as they moved to an exposed bruise on her right shoulder. She quickly concealed it with her robe. "When my Mother comes back, everything will go back to the way it was. It will be normal, like nothing happened at all." Her expression became colder as she angrily dumped the untouched sandwich into the trash. "If this is about staying the night again, don't bother. I'm fine here alone. It's only a few more days."

"Is that what...?" Chuck's breath caught in his chest, panicked. He couldn't breathe. How could she not know? "...is that what you think this is about? Blair, if you had asked me to leave that night, I wouldn't have done it. Not even if you begged. I would have gone crazy back at the penthouse worrying. At least when I'm here I know that you're safe, and I'll stay for as long as you want me to, Eleanor or no Eleanor. I'd find a way. But I've got to say that I can't take anymore of this."

Blair was still staring at him, surprised. This was the most he had said to her in days. "I've been putting this off, but I can't anymore. You won't go to the police, I've accepted that. But what I can't accept is that piece of shit getting away with what he did to you." He took a deep breath, anticipating her answer to his next demand. "I want a name. Vanessa told me where the dorm is, just give me a name and I'll go."

"And do what?" Blair asked, crossing her arms across her chest. She looked unbalanced, very uncomfortable in her own body. She hung onto the counter for support. "What are you going to do when... if you find him? Turn him over to the police? Then everyone will know and my life as I know it will be over. Nothing like this ever goes away, Chuck. You know that."

Chuck stayed silent for a moment, growing angrier by the second. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep it in check. "I didn't say anything about the police."

"No." Blair answered, tears falling from her cheeks. "No." She repeated, simply. There was no way she was telling Chuck any details. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, just that she didn't want him to get into trouble. And if he knew his name and where he lived, there was no telling what he would do. She quickly realized how far away they were from each other, and how much she hated it. From the time he would leave in the morning and come back from school in the afternoon, all she could think about was Chuck walking through the door. Simply the sight of him made her feel calm and safe, like nothing else.

Chuck could feel her restlessness and moved towards her, cupping her face in his hands. "I'm sorry. I don't want to push you. I'm just, Blair, I'm mad as hell. I want you to be okay and you're not."

"I will be." She assured him, taking a deep breath. "I really, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't of stayed, and if I tell you what you want to know, and you get hurt or get into trouble, it will be my fault. I don't want you to leave. When you're here, I'm okay, when you're not...."

He felt her body start to shake and rubbed her back. "You don't have to worry about that. At this point, I really don't think I could leave if I tried. I... Blair... I love you."

"I love you too."

He had done it. He said it first.

--


	6. Bleeding Wounds

----

**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

Blair felt a slight peck on her cheek. Her eyes opened and Chuck's chin was perched on her shoulder. It was the day Eleanor would be returning home. She could still feel the sting of her tears from last night. Chuck brought up the obvious, that Eleanor might think it was strange if she came home to find Chuck practically living in her house. The fight was brutal and went on for at least an hour, until Blair finally gave in, which never happened. Maybe it was because of the lack of sleep or the fact that Chuck was actually making sense. Either way, she didn't like it. She'd never not wanted to be away from someone so badly.

After finally saying those three words to one another, they spent the last three days talking about nothing. He even made her laugh once. This shocked her. She hadn't come close to that since it happened. _"It's okay." Chuck assured her, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. "You laughed. It's not exactly a crime."_

_Blair shook her head, feeling the tears coming. Crying had become a normal thing, and she hated that. Only the weak cried. "I don't know why..."_

_"You're trying to live your life again. There's nothing wrong with that, Blair." Blair implanted herself into his lap and closed her eyes as his arms were locked around her body._

He hadn't even tried to kiss her. Not once. That wasn't like Chuck at all. But she wasn't acting like herself either. Blair traced a shape over and over on her nightgown. She could feel pain starting to bubble in the pit of her stomach. "Don't go. Please." Blair begged, as a last resort. Maybe she could convince him after all. Eleanor wouldn't be that difficult to fool.

Chuck sighed, playing with the ends of her hair. "I don't exactly feel comfortable with it either. I'd lock myself in here with you if I thought we could get away with it."

Blair chuckled quietly. "That's comforting."

He should have turned and left the room. But, of course, he needed another fix. There was no way he would make it until the next afternoon. They had already come up with a lie for that. Blair had been sick and he was helping her catch up. This was logical since they were practically taking the same classes... or similar ones at least. Here's hoping Eleanor didn't know his current grade point average.

Chuck carefully climbed over Blair and laid his head on the pillow next to her. He felt her body scoot closer to his, letting him know that she was semi-comfortable. Before he knew it, his face was closing the space between them, their lips only inches apart. This was wrong. He shouldn't be thinking about this. Not now. Not after what she'd been through. He stopped himself and studied her beautiful face. The expression was unreadable, maybe confusion? "You okay?"

Blair opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. There were too many words floating around in her head. He had done so much for her, gone above and beyond the call of duty. He had been wonderful, understanding, and even respectful. The right thing to do would be to let him kiss her. Why not? They had admitted their feelings, he even said it first, which is what she wanted in the first place. But things had changed. Everything was different now.

"You don't trust me?" Chuck asked, suddenly.

"No," Blair replied quickly. "I mean, yes. I trust you more than anyone. God, Chuck, after the past week and a half, I'd trust you with my life if the situation called for it." She bit her lip, trying to figure out what she was feeling. This was all very new to her. How could she convince him that it really _wasn't_ him? Then she got an idea. A test. "Do it."

His eyebrows knitted together. "Do what?" He asked.

"Kiss me." Blair demanded eagerly, closing her eyes. Maybe it wouldn't be as scary as she thought. "_It's just Chuck..."_ she reminded herself.

Chuck backtracked a bit, weighing his options. This was the first time he'd actually thought something like this through. She didn't seem scared, just conflicted. That was a good sign. He moved closer again and kissed her gently on the lips. He forgot what a good kisser she was, even if he was doing more than half of the work. This felt natural, like something he could do forever.

After the kiss ended, Blair paused for a few moments. Chuck was looking back at her expectantly. Much to her surprise, she was still alive and in one piece. The world hadn't ended and everything was as it should be. It took all of the will power she had not to stop breathing right then and there. She was in love for the second time in her life, or maybe the first. The fear and complete agony were gone, for the moment, and replaced with something beautiful.

Chuck brushed her bruised eye with his thumb. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" He questioned.

"No, you didn't hurt me. You were perfect." Blair smiled from ear to ear, not believing how happy he made her.

He smiled back, pressing his forehead against hers. He felt complete, like he had finally found another purpose. The feeling had to last. It just had to.

--

**B: I can't do this.  
C: Eleanor?  
B: I'm going crazy.  
C: I'll b there soon.  
B: Hurry. I need u.  
C: I love u.  
B: U too.**

"Blair? You aren't eating? Why aren't you eating?" Eleanor asked her daughter, cell phone in one ear. She put a frustrated hand to her forehead. "No! Have the models there tomorrow by one and not a minute later. We have a lot of work to do before the show. See that you do that." Click. Eleanor dug into her fruit plate, attention focused on Blair again. "Well?"

Blair looked up from the phone in her lap. "Well, what?"

"You don't look well. I can't believe you didn't let Dorota take you to a hospital or at least a doctor! I should fire her on principal." Eleanor complained, making sure to speak loud enough so that Dorota could hear the comment from the kitchen. "If you refuse to be examined by a physician, you're going back to school tomorrow, and that's the end of it. I hope you've been keeping up with everything. It's crucial. Colleges have you under a microscope now more than ever."

School? What? Blair's insides were turning. She wasn't ready. There was no way. "Just a few more days to recover and I'll go. I've barely been sleeping, mother."

Eleanor scoffed, noticing the bags under her eyes. "So I see. Did you get into some kind of trouble? Is that what's really going on here? Because I don't want to get a call from the head master out of the blue. Just tell me now."

"I didn't do anything!" Blair shouted, twisting the napkin on her lap with both hands. Eleanor stared back at her in shock, not knowing how to react to the outburst. After making sure the door was securely locked, Blair was pacing the floor by the time she reached the solace of her bedroom. She knew her Mother would react this way. Yet another reason why no one would know. All she would do is tell her that it was all her fault, that she was asking it. That she went there looking for trouble.

Maybe she did. She was mad at Chuck that night, after all. Vanessa didn't twist her arm. In fact, she was the one who insisted on going to the after party in the first place. How stupid was she? What kind of a person went to a dormitory swarming with drunk college students and didn't think something bad might happen? She shouldn't have left herself so wide open.

_"You didn't really want me to go and get your friend. You followed me up here."_

Now she really did feel sick. Why did Chuck even want her, let alone love her? She let this happen to herself.

This really _was_ her fault.

_--_


	7. A Close Call

----

**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

Something was wrong. Chuck had gone to Blair's after school yesterday and Dorota stopped him at the elevator, explaining that she was sick, and shouldn't have visitors. After listening to her scold him for not calling first, he took off. Today, she still wasn't at school and wasn't answering any of his calls or texts. Leaving her alone was a stupid decision. Of course something like this would happen. He was the only one, aside from Vanessa, who knew what was really wrong with her.

"Chuck?" A voice called from behind him. Serena. "Have you heard from Blair? She's still not answering any of my calls. It's been over a week. Kind of getting worried."

Chuck stood from the bench and started walking alongside her towards the school building. Serena was the last person he wanted involved in all of this. She would only make things worse for Blair. "She's just sick, Serena. People get sick. Even Blair."

Serena rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever. So, what does she have, the bubonic plague or something? She can't text and let me know she's okay?"

The worry turned to anger/annoyance in a matter of seconds. "Why don't you give it a rest and leave her the hell alone? The last thing she needs right now is you crying on her shoulder about whatever crisis you're currently in the midst of. Some of us have other things on our minds. Go play Dr. Phil with someone else." Chuck hissed, leaving her in the quad, mouth agape with confusion.

**C: U okay?**

He stared down at his lap for two class periods and no response came. The rest of the day was wasted with thinking up crazy scenarios of what possibly could have happened. Each of them were more horrifying than the one before. It was making him crazy. She was safe at home, at least there was that... or was she? There was no telling. At lunch, he even went as far as to ask Nate a hypothetical question about what he would do if a friend was in trouble, but didn't want to go to the police, because it would damage their reputation forever.

Nate stared back at him quizzically. "What did you do this time, Chuck?"

Some help he was. He couldn't blame him really, since he did have a track record for those kinds of things. Realizing he was in no condition for classes, he skipped out on fourth period. Getting past Dorota had been rather easy. She and some of the other servants were busy deep cleaning the house for some reason. He tiptoed up the stairs and knocked lightly on the bedroom door. "Blair?" He whispered. "Blair?"

No answer. He pressed his ear against it but didn't hear footsteps or any kind of movement. Now he was worried. Would anyone even notice if something had happened to her? "Blair? Blair, it's me. Open up." Chuck said, louder this time. Still nothing. "I've been calling you for days. I just, Blair, I need to see you. Please. You don't have to talk to me. I just need to see that you're alright."

After another moment of silence, Chuck's body lowered to the floor, and he leaned his head against the door frame. "I'm not leaving until I see you."

A minute later the door unlocked. Chuck got to his feet and pushed it open. Blair was seated on her bed, staring out the window. He sat next to her, never taking his eyes away. She seemed okay. Her expression was actually very serene, but her eyes were blank. He decided to let her speak first. But a glaring light on the floor stole his attention momentarily. It was a small pair of scissors. Small red dots began to trickle onto the white carpet. _Blood_. "Blair... what?" He questioned. Chuck's eyes scanned for the source. He didn't have to look far.

Blair's sleeve was also spotted with it. He quickly lifted it to reveal an incision on her wrist. It was small but close enough to a vein to do serious damage. "What the hell?!" He shouted as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into the bathroom in one swift movement. Trying to remember what people did in the movies, Chuck put her arm under the sink and ran cold water over it with shaking hands. Wrapping the towel around the cut helped tremendously. The cut wasn't that deep, but regardless, it was obvious what she had almost done.

"For Christ sakes, Blair!" Chuck growled, surprised at how enraged he was at her. He sighed, keeping pressure on her wrist. All he wanted to do was scold her at the top of his lungs. Why would she even think about off-ing herself when they had just found each other? Curses came out in the form of mumbles and grunts from deep in his throat. "What gives you the right?"

Blair was knocked out of her daze and instantly plunged back into reality. _What gives you the right? _There was the Chuck Bass she'd known since Kindergarten. It was always about him. "Excuse me?" She spat.

"Why?"

She took a deep breath. "It was a mistake. It had nothing to do with you."

"Anything involving you dying has everything to do with me!" Chuck yelled. He began again slowly, but with even more determination. "That's not an option for you. Not as long as I'm breathing. Do you understand?" Two wild fists were thrust towards him in a matter of seconds. But he took every punch, every slap. She pushed him against the wall and kept hitting his chest, crying her eyes out.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do! I'm not like one of your other girls, Chuck! You don't get to tell me when to eat, when to sleep, when to breathe! You don't get to tell me how to deal with this!" Much to her surprise, she had more breath to continue. "Why do you even care?! Why...?!" She backed away, keeping her distance. She could kill him as angry as she was.

A laugh escaped her lips. "Eleanor thinks the bulimia's back. That's how much faith my own Mother has in me. I decided I'd rather die than go back to the treatment center and listen to idiotic, sad tweeny boppers cry about their problems. But I chickened out, so here I am, listening to you yell at me instead."

He had the same angry, morose look on his face, but more of the latter. She stared at him, quizzically. "How can you even love me? I don't think I can ever... things are so different, Chuck. I'm not the same person I was in the back of that limo or in the Hampton's. It's not worth it. Not for either of us."

"I've never been in love, Blair. I've cared for people, but it's never been anything close to love. I'm not the same person I was then either." Chuck answered, inching across the bathroom floor toward her. "You're worth it. This is worth it. We have to get through this, and I'll do whatever it takes to help you do that." He ran his hand along her wrist to her elbow. "What stopped you?"

"You."

----


	8. Blair In Real Life

----

**bold**=text messages/gossip girl narrator  
_italics_=flashbacks

**NOTE:**I want to apologize for not updating sooner. I've been so busy with finals and starting new classes. It's been nuts. I do have a plan for this story, and know the ending, so at least there's that. LOL. Enjoy :) And please review!

----

"No, no. Stop here! Right here is fine." Blair demanded, shifting uncomfortably in the leather seat.

She peered out of the tinted window at the school ahead. If Eleanor hadn't of started paying more attention to her than usual, she wouldn't even be there. It didn't take a psychiatrist to know that she wasn't ready, not even close. But there she was, waiting in the town car, refusing to be driven to the front as usual.

**Spotted: B finally resurfacing into society after a two week rest. Why wasn't she seen leaving her apartment until just this morning, you ask? Only time will tell. You know you love me.**

She clicked the phone shut, putting a hand on her forehead. People would already be talking before she stepped foot in the building. Great, just great. "I'll walk from here." Blair told the driver, stepping out of the car.

A few deep breaths and panic attacks later, the familiar steps came into view, and to her surprise, Chuck had kept his promise. He was sitting at the top, dressed in one of his ridiculous ensembles, waiting for her. Hopefully he wouldn't be this reliable every weekday morning. That would just mess up the natural order of things.

"How are you feeling?" Chuck asked her, slipping an arm around her waist.

"I'm okay. A little nervous." She started, half smiling at him. "You didn't have to wait for me, Bass. I was only kidding." That was a lie. She was terrified of being alone and ambushed by questions and concerned glances.

Chuck shrugged and looked down at the pavement. "I said I would." He responded, simply.

They walked up the stairs as Blair interlocked her arm with his. Students passed them by and whispered and stared curiously, while they texted like crazy. Probably providing tips to Gossip Girl. Chuck whispered something reassuring in her ear, and tightened his protective grip on her. She loved knowing that he was there for her.

The first ambush of the day was standing two yards away, blonde hair bobbing from side to side. Serena. They had exchanged texts that morning and Blair apologized for not returning her calls and explained about her mystery illness. Not the truth, of course, but a credible explanation. So, that was out of the way. At least the conversation would be civil.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Serena smiled, hugging her tightly. Her hand still hadn't left Chuck's grasp, and all she could do was smile and nod her way through the conversation. She listened to Serena catch her up on current events, things she had missed from classes, and upcoming parties that everyone was talking about. After a couple of minutes, Serena stared at Chuck, giving him a "don't you have somewhere to be?" look.

Chuck quickly took the hint. Serena might get suspicious if he stood there the whole time with her. "I'll let you guys catch up. Meet you after first period?" He asked, locking eyes with Blair momentarily.

Blair nodded, releasing his hand, as he walked away.

Serena turned back to her, grinning. "Okay, this is too weird. I mean, it's great that you guys worked things out, but it's definitely something I'll have to get used to. How are things going with you two?"

She began to answer and suddenly had the feeling that every guy that passed her was staring at her. The faces all looked the same. Broad nose, dark eyes, bangs that hung slightly over their foreheads. No, they weren't him. He didn't know where to find her. It was only paranoia. There was no way that any of them knew what happened to her. She felt like vomiting. The sense of reality that was there that morning was long gone and replaced by panic.

"Blair, what's wrong?" Serena asked, concerned. She felt her forehead. "You're pale as a sheet. Maybe you came back too soon?"

--

Blair found Chuck after first period, staring down at his cell phone with an angry expression. She let out a frustrated sigh. "Is it something on Gossip Girl? Let me see it."

Chuck pulled the phone away from her grasp defensively. "No."

She managed to pry it out of his hands, but instantly wished that she had listened to him. There he was in the flesh, grabbing a drink over the bar. Her memory of that night was still so fuzzy. She must have taken the photo of Cory and sent it to Chuck's phone in an attempt to make him jealous. She dropped it on the table and looked away.

Chuck's eyes widened. "Is that him?"

Blair only nodded in response, still unable to look at him. Despite efforts to stop it, her body began shaking uncontrollably. The sight of him made her skin crawl. Chuck clenched his fists furiously at the revelation, trying to keep his cool, but that was almost impossible. Now he had a face to go with the bits and pieces Blair remembered from that night. That face would remain burned in his memory.

--

Chuck impatiently drummed his fingers on the table, watching as Vanessa emerged from behind the counter. "What did you find out?"

"Does Blair know you're here?" Vanessa asked, curiously. She hesitated telling him the little information she had found out about Cory. He looked so angry. "Look, you're upset. I don't think this is the way to..."

"I know you have it. If you didn't, you wouldn't have asked me to meet you." Chuck demanded, glaring at her.

Vanessa sighed. Obviously he was never going to let this go. She had no choice. "I talked to a friend of mine, Trish. Her boyfriend lives in the dorms so she's always there. When I showed her the picture of the guy, she recognized him. His name is Cory, but according to her and everyone else, he doesn't live there. He just goes to the parties."

"Wait, I thought the attack happened in his room?" Chuck interjected.

"Could have been someone else's room, I guess." Vanessa looked down, uncomfortably. "He probably thought she would be more likely to go with him if he told her that. Anyway, no one seems to know where he lives, but I have names of some of his friends who live in the dorms."

Chuck reached over to take the piece of paper in her hand, and she took it back suddenly. "What exactly are you going to do?" She asked.

"It's none of your concern." Chuck answered coldly.

"No, actually, it is, because I'm the one giving you the information. So, whatever happens... I'd be the one responsible." Vanessa reminded him. She had no clue what to do. A part of her didn't want to give him any of it. He wasn't in the mindset to deal with it rationally. On the other hand, maybe she was wrong. Maybe all he was going to do was find him, keep him there, and then call the police. The guy deserved to be in prison. That was for sure.

"This conversation never happened, alright?" Chuck said, taking the paper from her. "This is the only way Blair will ever get past this."

--


	9. What Have You Done?

----

**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

Blair put a hand on her hip, studying herself in the vanity mirror, trying to focus on the task at hand. The dress didn't look like it fit her properly. It was too tight around the waist. She had told Serena that in the dressing room earlier that day, but she convinced her to buy it. Oh, well. At least the color was in season. This was the first day she spent out in weeks, and it was supposed to be a good thing. A celebratory thing. She was living her life again, having fun with Serena. Like the old days.

But as far as she was concerned, her night was already ruined. She and Chuck were supposed to have dinner at a restaurant uptown, but he sent her a text and cancelled an hour after school let out. It was a strangely mysterious message too. That wasn't like him. She sighed, changing blouses in the closet. Trust was definitely something she needed to work on. There was no way they would ever last without it.

"This was the one you said you liked for Summer, right?" Blair inquired, stepping out so Serena could take a look.

Serena nodded happily, standing on the bed as she modeled her dress. "You always look amazing, B. I don't need to tell you..."

Blair rolled her eyes, turning back to the mirror. For some reason, the _thinking she was beautiful_ thing was never easy for her either. Especially lately. Even now, looking at her reflection... wearing the beautiful, expensive clothes. The elegant, diamond bracelet her father gave her for her birthday three years ago. The high heels. Her perfectly styled hair. It may as well be gone. All she saw was a scared, broken person barely holding onto her former self. Whoever that was. She suddenly felt dirty, like that night, and had to look away. Would this ever stop? If she was alone, she would have screamed into a pillow.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked, plopping down on one of the pillows. "You look sad."

Blair shrugged, picking up her phone from the desk. Serena pulled her next to her on the bed. "I'm sure he's doing something important. Or... you know."

"Or what?" Blair snapped.

"Come on, B, we both _know_ Chuck. I mean, really. What else do you expect from him?"

Blair had no clue how to answer that question. Then, an epiphany hit her like a bullet to the head. Of course. Why else would Serena have insisted out of the blue that they spend the entire rest of the day shopping, and then have a sleepover? The last time they had one of those was on her birthday three years ago. That son of a bitch. Now who didn't trust who? Her eyes locked with Serena's. "So, how'd you come up with the idea for us to spend the day together? Sort of sudden."

"Oh, I don't know. You were sick and we haven't had a lot of time to... talk or hang out or..." Serena trailed off, eyes on the bed sheets. Uh huh. That's what she thought. That arrogant son of a bitch. Some things really didn't change.

"How much did he give you?" Blair asked, seriously.

Serena rolled her eyes, laying down. "He didn't give me anything!" She held a pillow over her face, embarassed. "How did you know?"

"This isn't even your fault. I'm mad at him, not you." Blair assured her. "Did he at least tell you where he was going?"

"No, not in so many words. He just suggested that I entertain you for the rest of the day, since he had to cancel last minute. I guess he knew you'd be mad. If I knew where he was, and if he was doing something with someone other than you, I'd tell you. Trust me. That last thing I want is for him to hurt you like that. You don't deserve it. But..." Serena continued, "I don't think that he is. I've been watching you guys together these past few weeks. It's obvious that both of you ... I don't know. It's none of my business. It just seems like you're both different. Maybe I'm imagining it."

"No, you're right. We're really trying to make this relationship work. A part of me wants to trust him, and the other part only knows the one side of Chuck. But I've seen the other. I know he doesn't show it to everyone, but I've seen it, and that's the Chuck that I want, you know?" Blair said.

Serena nodded and pulled her friend into a hug. "You guys are gonna make it. I know it."

Blair wanted to believe that more than anything in the world. But the doubt was still there. Maybe he was just worried about leaving her alone. They hadn't spent much time apart since the day she came back to school.

...where was he?

--

Chuck sat at the bar, scanning the room carefully. He had the list Vanessa gave him in his hand. Four names should be enough. It wasn't exactly hard for him to charm information out of someone. He glanced to his left as someone sat beside him.

"Three shots. Vodka." The guy said, throwing his student id on the counter. Chuck looked down at it. Andy James. That was one of the names.

"Sorry, but I know you... don't I?" Chuck asked. "Another one of these things, last year. I came in with Cory and a few other guys."

Andy nodded, acting like he remembered. "Yeah, yeah! Sure. I remember you. How's it going, man?"

"Chuck. It's going good. I'm actually in town for the weekend from school. It's a good thing I ran into you. Cory emailed me his new address and somehow it got deleted. I was looking for him, but I haven't seen him around."

Andy shook his head, turning around to face the crowd. "Nah, haven't seen him tonight. But he lives two blocks from here in an apartment with two other roommates. It's on Steinbeck Ave. Here." He wrote down the address on a napkin and slid it over to Chuck. "It's the only apartment building on that street. Rest are town homes. You can't miss it."

"I appreciate it." Chuck gets up to leave. Andy smiles, nodding over to two girls at the end of the bar, smiling at both of them. Both Chinese exchange students. "Want a little something before you go? They don't speak a word of English."

"As appetizing as that sounds, I'll pass."

--

Blair turned in her sleep, fighting yet another nightmare. This was one of the worst. Probably because she hadn't had one in two or three nights. Her eyes shot open when she felt a hand move down her arm, and she pushed against the person's chest.

"Hey, hey, hey..." Chuck whispered harshly, taking her face in his hands.

Blair breathed a sigh of relief. She would know that voice anywhere. It took her a moment to remember why she was on the floor of Eric's bedroom. Ah, yes. The wine. When she sat up, she noticed Jonathan laying next to him on the bed. Chuck chuckled quietly as he pulled Blair to her feet with both hands. "Why don't you wait for me in my room? I don't want to witness the uprising of Dragon-Lily when she walks in on this tomorrow morning."

She nodded and headed next door. She was still on edge. The light from the small lamp helped. Chuck sitting next to her before another thought could fully process. She exhaled when he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Another one?" He asked.

"I don't want to think about it." Blair answered, closing her eyes. _I'd do anything to make this stop_, she wanted to tell him. _Please make this stop. I can't live like this anymore._"You're shaking." Chuck commented.

"I'll be fine. I just need a minute to shake it off." Blair said, running her hands through her hair. She looked over at him. He was staring right at her. "What?"

"You can't keep going on like this, Blair. Look at you, you're terrified. That's why..." Chuck said, suddenly turning away from her. "I should have... God damn it to hell." He snarled softly, bunching both pants legs tightly with his fists.

Blair watched him, confused. She had no clue what was wrong with him. One minute he was fine, the next he was silently having a meltdown. She scooted closer to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Chuck, I'm okay. It was just a nightmare. What-- what's wrong? Did something happen?" A street light outside revealed his bloody knuckles. She grabbed his hand to examine it. "You're hurt. Chuck, what happened to you? Talk to me." She pleaded, pulling his face towards her.

"No." He turned to her quickly, but still wouldn't look her in the eye. "No, nothing happened. Let's just go to sleep, okay?"

--

Blair was enjoying snuggling against Chuck's chest the next morning, but another feeling washed over her when his bruised hand draped around her arm. With that, she quietly made her way across the bedroom. She was on a mission: to find out exactly what happened last night. Obviously he was keeping something from her, and if her instincts were correct, it was about her, which meant he was trying to protect her from something. Anyway, his behavior was too weird to ignore.

She rifled through the mess on his dresser, rolling her eyes when she came across several condom wrappers. Then something caught her eye. White sticking out of his pants. She pulled the napkin out, read the address, and then proceeded to stop breathing. The address was less than half a mile from the area of the dormitory in Brooklyn. No, that couldn't be right. He didn't even know his name. There was no way.

But then how did he get the address?

--


	10. It Ends Tonight

----

**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

"That is so gross!" Blair complained, swatting at Chuck's hand. He brought fish for lunch and was having too much fun taunting her with it. At least the week had been uneventful so far. Acting like a normal couple was proving to be almost too easy, much to Blair's surprise.

Chuck pulled her towards him and gently kissed her temple. "Sorry, I couldn't resist." He picked up her cereal bar and studied it. "How is it that girls can eat one of these things and are full the entire day?"

Blair rolled her eyes, leaning into his touch. "Not all of us can be as adorable as you without making an effort, Bass."

Chuck smiled. "True. You'd be lucky to reproduce with someone with my genes."

Blair leaned over with laughter. "Are we seriously talking about kids right now? God, can you imagine us married? We'd kill each other."

"Uh, yeah. There's a weird thought." Chuck said, chuckling a little. He realized at that moment he wasn't smiling anymore. He had unconsciously brought up having kids. With BLAIR WALDORF. The same Blair he used to tease on the jungle gym when her mother made her wear one of those ridiculous, over sized bows in her hair. The same Blair who bailed him out of jail in the eighth grade, because he was too afraid to call Bart or even Nate, and never told anyone about it. The same Blair he used to dream about (and still did), despite the fact that he knew in his soul she was the one girl he didn't just want to have sex with.

As he looked over at her, it dawned on him. He really didn't deserve her. He sighed, hoping he'd come to terms with it eventually. Blair slipped her hand in his. "I was only kidding, Chuck. We're eighteen. We have time to figure that stuff out."

"You were considering marriage with Nate a little over a year ago." Chuck reminded her.

"Well, I was in love with Nate. We had been together forever, you know that. It just wasn't meant to be."

Chuck looked down at the table. "I could make you happier than he ever could. I'd..." He exhaled for a long moment, giving himself some time before the next part. "This is completely nuts and unlike anything I would ever say, to anyone, but I'd marry you Blair. In a heartbeat. And I'd make you happy, and keep you safe, and do all the things a husband is supposed to do."

Blair became lightheaded just hearing those words come out of Chuck's mouth. It was easy to see that he meant every word. Maybe he really was changing, for _her_ of all people. She squeezed his hand a bit, looked down, and then caught the sight that still plagued her. "Trust is the most important thing. It's what holds a marriage together." She locked eyes with his, trying to get the point across without having to ask him first. "We have to be able to tell each other anything. No matter how terrible it is."

A few more minutes of talking that intimately didn't do any good. He kept trying to change the subject by kissing neck or touching the small of her back. And yes, she noticed him fidgeting with his leg under the table. Something he did when he was nervous about something. The bell rang and they were off to their classes. He mentioned picking her up at eight for dinner that night.

If he wasn't going to tell her whatever it was he was hiding, she was going to find out without his help.

--

The neighborhood wasn't hard to find. As she suspected, it was only a few blocks away from the dorm. Her eyes lingered on the back of the cab driver's seat as they passed the building. Breathe. Keep breathing. A few moments later she was fine. There. That was easy. She paid the driver and made her way up the sidewalk.

The light in the tiny hallway flickered as she knocked on the apartment door. Footsteps from inside. A guy a bit older than her opened it. He looked half asleep. It was almost four in the afternoon. "Yeah?"

She stared back at him, opening her mouth to answer. But he did instead. "You here for Cory or Kevin?" He asked her, running a hand over his face.

Cory. Cory. Cory. The name played over and over in her head. This was his apartment. Chuck had found him. Blair involuntarily moved back a few steps in the hallway. "Cory."

He looked back at her strangely before yelling his name and going back into the apartment. Time to weigh her options. Obviously, Chuck hadn't done anything to him, since he was there and still in one piece. _Keep breathing_. Two, if she left now, all of this could be forgotten. No one would know she was ever there. _Keep breathing_. Three, she wanted him to pay for what he did to her. _Keep breathing_. Four, she was scared out of her mind and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She didn't want to see him, hear him, smell him... be within a hundred miles of him.

Yes. She would leave and forget all of it. That was the best thing to do. The smart thing. But as soon as she turned around, someone was in the door frame. "Can I help you?"

It was a girl's voice. Blair faced her awkwardly. She was wrapped in a sheet, looking like she just rolled out of bed, probably with him. Her stomach turned. "Um, I was just waiting for..."

"Cory's unavailable for the rest of the day. If you'd like to leave a message, I'll make sure he gets it." She said, a smirk playing on her lips.

Blair shook her head, starting for the elevator. "You know what? It wasn't important."

The only thing she could think about when her feet hit the concrete outside was the girl in the doorway. She had no idea what Cory was capable of. That he was a monster. She hated him more than she'd ever hated anyone. He deserved to feel all the pain, and more, that she felt because of what he did to her.

She wiped a tear from her cheek and searched through her contact list for a name in her cell phone. _This ends tonight_.

--

**NOTE:** I know, I know I keep ending on cliffhangers. But it's only because the ending is so close and I'm trying to figure out how exactly I'm to end it. Thanks for the awesome reviews, and keep it up!


	11. Demons

----

**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

----

Chuck narrowed his eyes at the time on his cell phone.

8:17.

If she was running late, she would have called or texted by now. It wasn't like her not to call. He couldn't recall Blair ever being late for anything without an explanation before hand. Maybe she forgot their date. No. They decided that afternoon, and she sounded excited. There was no way.

He picked up the dark pink bouquet of flowers from the coffee table and headed for the elevator.

"Serena, it's me. Have you heard from Blair at all tonight?" Chuck asked, phone pressed to his ear. "I did. I've been waiting since eight. She hasn't called or anything. Dorota hasn't heard from her either. She said she didn't come home this afternoon. Yeah, if you hear anything."

Chuck hung up and leaned his head back, debating whether to go look for her, or just head home and keep trying to call. He slowly began to process the conversation at lunch that day. Really process it. Listen to what Blair was saying, or rather trying to say. _Fuck_. How could he have been so dense?

His hand quickly reached inside his jacket pocket. Nothing. The napkin with the address was gone. He was sure it was the same one from that night and that he hadn't removed it. Of course. He should have expected that she wouldn't leave that night alone.

"Turn around! Brooklyn, now. And step on it." Chuck yelled at the driver.

--

The plan was in motion. Yes, it was a crazy one, but the only one Blair could think of on such short notice. The girl who answered the door had left almost half an hour ago. Then both of the roommates. All that was left was him. Blair peered inside the lobby from outside of the glass doors when the elevator doors opened. He checked his cell phone and headed over to the mailboxes. It was now or never.

She walked through the swinging doors and inched closer to him across the small lobby. When she reached Cory, all she could do was stand there and stare at the back of his pea coat. Her mouth was so dry. He turned a few moments later, and looked back at her with confusion. "Oh, sorry, was I in your way?" He asked.

"I'm the one who came by earlier."

Now he looked ever more confused. The girl must not have told him. There was a surprise. "I think you've got the wrong guy. I'm in 2F."

Blair watched his face closely. He really didn't have a clue who she was or why she was there. "Do you remember me?"

"Like I said, no. Should I?"

"I would think so, yes." Blair said sharply, glaring back at him. The anger in her voice surprised her. Hopefully it would replace the fear, but she doubted that very much.

"Sorry. Still don't have a clue what you're talking about." Cory laughed slightly, before walking past her towards the doors. Before he reached them, he turned and took a good look at her. "Wait, you're that girl from the party last month. Britney? You looked different in that light."

It took a moment for his words to sink in, and another for Blair to realize that they were alone in the lobby. The man behind the front desk must have left while she was outside waiting. "Blair." She responded.

After an awkward moment, she has Cory's full attention. "Look, I'm sure it was a fun night, but I have a girlfriend. To be honest, I don't remember a whole lot about that night, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I'm sure your half naked girlfriend who answered the door earlier would love to know how much _fun_ we had, and what kind of a person you really are."

Cory smiled a little. "Not that it's any of your damn business, but that's not my girlfriend either. What are you still pissed you didn't get my number, or what? If I remember correctly, you left in a hurry. Five more minutes could have made a difference."

Blair cringes, disgusted by his voice. Tears well in both eyes. "I didn't exactly feel like talking after you ... _raped_ me."

His expression changed to one of disbelief as soon as the words left her mouth. "Wait, what?" He demanded, stepping closer.

"You're actually going to stand there, and deny it to my face?" Blair gasps in shock.

"Um, yeah, I am because it never fucking happened." Cory stepped closer, closing most of the space between them. "You know, you upper east side, rich Daddy's girls are all the same. Never ceases to fucking amaze me. God, I really must have been wasted. I wouldn't have touched you with a ten foot pole otherwise. What are you still in high school?"

Blair backs away from him slowly, until her back touches the wall. "On second thought, you'd look extremely hot without so many clothes on." He told her, only inches from her face.

She pushed his hand away after he touched the ends of her hair. He smiled back at her widely. "Feisty, little one aren't we?" He said, catching her wrist with one hand.

"Get your hands off of me!" Blair yelled, pulling away.

"If you wanted another go, all you had to do was ask. That's why you came here isn't it?" He asked her, squeezing her wrist harder.

_You didn't really want me to go and get your friend. You followed me up here._

This was the dumbest plan in the history of dumb plans. She should never have come there. Never confronted him. Never asked Vanessa to tape the whole thing from the closet, not twenty feet away from where they were standing. She wanted to be away from him forever. She should have never kept any of this from... no, she couldn't think about him now. That would really make her insane.

NO! This was not happening to her again. Blair finally pulled out of his grasp, and swung one arm towards his face. Cory held his hand to his cheek, covering the bloody scratch. "You fucking, crazy bitch!" He wailed in pain, shoving her to the floor.

When she hit the ground, she immediately tried to get back up, but Cory's body was on top of her in a matter of seconds, arms pinning her to the marble. His face was red and he was screaming down at her. "What the hell is your problem?! You came to find me remember?"

"Admit it!" Blair shouted in his face. "Admit what you did to me! I don't care how drunk you were, you know what you did!"

"The only thing I DID was kick a slutty high schooler out of bed after we were through, and didn't give you my number afterwards. But hey, sorry I hurt your feelings."

Blair blinked twice, trying to make the blurry mess above her stop moving. She must have hit her head hard, because his words were becoming more and more distorted. Suddenly, the images were gone and weight was lifted off of her in one swift movement. Her head turned to the side and faster images started. One flying towards the other in fast, downward movements. She scrambled towards the registration desk, sitting up on the floor.

_Son of a bitch_ and _who the hell are you_ were the only phrases she could make out, aside from all the yelling and fist hitting bone. Then, the sounds stopped. She cowered away when the blurry image returned, closer to her face this time. But it was a different color. "Blair? Blair, are you alright? Blair, talk to me. Hey..."

Chuck. _Thank God_.

She reached up to put her arms around him, but before she knew it, he was ripped away. As her vision became clearer, she could make out Chuck and Cory rolling around on the floor, fighting viciously. Punches and kicks were being thrown left and right, and it didn't look like either was winning. Blair slowly stood up, balancing herself on the counter, and gasped as Cory got the upper hand, and began hitting Chuck over and over in the face.

"NO!" Blair yelled furiously. She pulled at the back of his jacket with all of the strength that she currently had. "Stop it! You're killing him!"

Seconds later, another pair of hands were on the jacket. Vanessa's. They both pulled until Cory finally pushed back with enough force to knock Blair clear across the room.

Then everything went black.

--

**NOTE:** Next chapter is the last one. Remember to leave reviews!


	12. It's Worth It

----

**bold**=text messages  
_italics_=flashbacks

---

The annoying sound of constant beeping was the first thing Blair heard after her eyes opened. She was lying on a hospital bed in a dimly lit room. Her head was bandaged and throbbing with even the slightest movement of her body. Maybe she had suffered a concussion. She glanced outside of the glass door. There Eleanor was exchanging heated words with two police officers while making large gestures with her hands. Great, just what she needed. Now she would know everything. The one thing Blair was trying to avoid. Nate lingered next to Dan and Serena, all watching the chaos from a few feet away. What were they all doing there? Who had even called them?

She started to piece together the night's events in her mind. Went to the address in Brooklyn. Waited for Corey to come out. Confrontation in the lobby. Thrown to the floor. Can't breathe. Scared. Have to get away. And then... Chuck. The thought made Blair use her arms to sit up. There was no way he'd walked away without a scratch. The bastard was _killing_ him. What if he was hurt? She had to know if he was okay. This was all her fault.

She ripped out the tubes in both nostrils and after pulling at the one in her arm, a hand stopped her. "_Stop_." The voice demanded.

Chuck had been in the room the whole time. In the dark corner, sitting in a chair. She gasped, not able to stop her eyes from taking in his battered appearance. He looked like he had been used as a human punching bag. She also couldn't stop herself from tightly embracing him. Not feeling him next to her was not an option. His breathing was unsteady, and seemed to come out in small spouts. She forced herself to let go after almost a minute, and felt a tear roll down her cheek after seeing his mangled face for the second time. "Chuck, look at you..."

He stood from the chair. "I'm not the one you should be worried about." He responded, gruffly. His expression was angry. Conflicted. "How could you go over there alone?" He asked her in one breath.

"I wasn't..."

Chuck rolled his eyes. "I know. Vanessa the amateur YouTube filmmaker was hiding in the broom closet armed with a cheap video camera. Ready to pounce, obviously." He ran a hand through his hair, and started to pace the floor. "I can't _believe_ she didn't do anything. They should arrest her as an accessory."

Blair absently stared down at the bedsheets. "It wasn't her fault. I asked her to help me."

"Some help she was." Chuck argued, a bitter chuckle escaping from deep in his throat. "When I came in it looked like he was... I wanted to..." He mumbled. Blair couldn't make out half of the conversation he was currently having with himself. She didn't know if he was mad at her, or at Eleanor, or just that the situation had even taken place. Maybe all three. There was no telling. She reached for his hand, hoping to calm him down. "Chuck, just stop. He didn't do anything to me. You got there before it went that far. I scratched him and he pushed me and he..."

"Deserved worse!" Chuck exploded. He took a few steps back, chest heaving, fists balled at his sides. "I can't believe you'd do something that crazy. That stupid! Do you even realize what could have happened if I hadn't put two and two together? You should have told me."

Blair's head snapped angrily in his direction. She was just as mad as he was now. "I tried. At lunch yesterday. I found the address in your pocket the morning after you went out, and left me to be babysat by Serena! You didn't tell me where you'd been. You were acting weird. Your knuckles were bloody. Then I find the address and it's in the same neighborhood as...! What was I supposed to think, Chuck?!"

He was only looking at the floor. Unresponsive. That infuriated Blair more than anything. If Chuck was purposefully trying to get her going, he was doing a great job so far. "You know what?" She pointed her finger towards the door. "Just get out. Ugh, I KNEW this would happen! I knew we'd find a way to screw this up! It doesn't even matter if we love each other. That doesn't change the fact that we'll always end up back here. At each others throats." Blair said, her voice breaking. "I should have taken the hint in the Hampton's when you couldn't say it. Or less than a week ago when I knew you weren't telling me everything. So stupid."

"Blair." Chuck said, eyes still on the floor.

"If you're waiting for a thank you for saving me, you can forget it, you selfish ass! You've completely ruined any chance of me feeling remotely grateful. I would have been better off if you'd never showed up tonight in the first place. If Vanessa had never called you that night. If I'd never gone to that stupid concert. If I'd never gotten in the limo." Blair choked out, bitterly. Did she really just say those things? Yes. Did she mean them? Maybe. She needed to be alone. "GET OUT!" She shouted at him.

Chuck felt his stomach drop to the floor. Her words had cut deep. As angry as he was that Blair recklessly put her life in danger, again, deep down all he really wanted was to tell her that those twenty minutes in the car on the way to Brooklyn, not knowing what was happening or if she was hurt, was one of most horrifying things he'd ever experienced. And that he didn't like feeling that way. Especially when it came to her. But she just said that she wished none of this had ever happened. That they had never happened. Sighing in defeat, he headed for the door. But then something stopped him.

She was crying, face hidden in the white sheets.

No, they had come too far. Been through too much to give up now. He had to at least try. Stay and fight. "I did go to his apartment that night, but I didn't knock on the door."

Blair looked up at him after a moment, wiping her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I knew that's not what you wanted, and that I was being an idiot. I left the building and the next thing I knew, I was punching the hell out of the brick wall. Then I came back to you. That's all that happened." Chuck explained, glad to finally get it off his chest.

"Why didn't you just tell me that?" Blair asked, confused.

"Partly because I was ashamed that I beat up a wall of bricks instead of him. Party because I thought you'd think I'd gone behind your back, and you'd never trust me again. I didn't want to lose you. I guess I was trying to protect you too... in my own way."

Blair's face softened. Why did he always do this? Make her hate him in every way, shape, and form, and then say something genuine like that. It was infuriating. But the anger from before was slowly diminishing. She pulled him by the sleeve down beside her. "Thank you for telling me the truth. I didn't mean those things..."

He took hold of both her hands. "I know. I'm sorry, too."

Blair leaned her head on Chuck's shoulder after he situated himself next to her on the bed. "This is never going to be easy is it?"

"Probably not." Chuck responded, kissing her hair. "But it's worth it."

She smiled at his words and then started to laugh for the first time in God knows how long. "Why can't we just be like other normal, cute, high school couples?"

"I'd give us a little more credit. We're more interesting than that." Chuck said with a smirk, leaning in for a kiss.

Suddenly, Eleanor burst through the door like a bat out of hell, and didn't look happy about what she walked in on. "Charles! What do you think you're doing? Get away from my daughter this minute. There are plugs and tubes everywhere. Are you insane?"

Chuck quickly scooted away. "Hello to you too, Ms. Waldorf." He said, hopping off the bed.

"We were in the middle of a conversation, mother." Blair whined, arms crossed over her chest.

Eleanor nodded sarcastically. "So I saw. But I think Charles has done enough for one night. Certainly pulled you into enough excitement in any case." She turned to Chuck, who wasn't moving. She stared him down. "Translation: Go home."

"Mom!" Blair shouted defensively. "Don't talk to him like that. After everything he's done for me, you should be thanking him. He saved my life!"

Eleanor started to laugh. "Saved your life? I think that concussion has affected your train of thought, my dear. He's the one who got you into this mess! You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And you know what, I don't even care why he attacked the other young man, or what the fight was about, or why you were there in the first place. I just want him away from me and you especially." She turned to Chuck again, trying to get the point across to him. "Am I making myself clear?"

Blair glanced from Chuck to Eleanor. She assumed her mother knew what happened, but obviously she was wrong. "You didn't tell her."

Chuck shook his head slowly. Now Eleanor was the one confused. "Tell me what? What are you talking about?" She asked them both.

"Chuck, can you give us a minute? I need to talk to my mother alone."

--

Eventually, Blair convinced Chuck to leave her alone with Eleanor. But while she was explaining the events of the past few weeks, Blair could have sworn she saw his coat tail every few minutes. Eleanor was furious that Blair didn't confide in her. But to Blair's surprise, she was very understanding and insisted on finding a qualified counselor, following her hospital stay. "Well, there's one thing I do agree with Charles about. You should have never gone to that apartment alone, Blair. That was a foolish thing to do. Very dangerous." She enveloped her daughter in a hug, something she hadn't done in ages. "I could have lost you tonight."

Serena and Nate weren't exactly thrilled either. With Blair or Chuck. They wanted to know why they were kept out of all this, and what ever happened to the non-judgemental breakfast club. Dan stayed out of the whole conversation, or maybe better described as a one sided argument. But when things went a bit off the rails, he finally spoke up. "The important thing is that she's okay, right? Or she will be. You can help her now." Blair released a breath, and locked eyes with Humphrey appreciatively.

Jenny, Eric, and Lily popped in with flowers and a box of chocolates a little later. And the visitors didn't stop there. Her father would be landing in New York with Roman within the next few hours. She could thank her mother for that added piece of drama.

As for Chuck, he barely said anything the entire time. Even when he was spoken to, asked a question, or yelled at (mostly by Serena), he would only offer shrugs and one word answers. He stayed in his chair by the bed, holding onto Blair's hand under the blanket. Every few minutes, they would exchange squeezes to let the other one know they were okay.

This was going to be a long night. A long week. A long month. A long year.

But it was worth it.

--

~fin


End file.
